Joan Mir: Honda's 2026 Motorcycle Not Yet Competitive for MotoGP
Rider Joan Mir believes that the 2026 Honda RC213V motorcycle is not yet competitive enough and still lags behind its rivals, so the Japanese manufacturer is considered to need a revolution to improve performance, especially in terms of rear tyre grip.
The Repsol Honda rider, Joan Mir, admitted that he was not satisfied with the performance of the Honda RC213V 2026 after undergoing pre-season MotoGP testing at the Buriram Circuit, Thailand, last weekend. The 2020 MotoGP world champion felt that the latest Honda motorcycle had not shown a significant improvement compared to the previous season.
Previously, Mir had shown optimism after testing in Sepang, Malaysia, in early February. However, after undergoing testing in Buriram, the Spanish rider expressed a more cautious evaluation.
“On this track, we found more difficulties than in Sepang for some reason. Especially me, I can’t put the motorcycle in the same position in terms of potential,” said Mir, quoted from Motorsport.
Although he admitted that there was some progress on the RC213V, Mir felt that the improvement was not enough to compete with rivals who had also made significant developments during the winter break.
“I’m not too happy, to be honest, because it’s important to perform well here. You can see who will be the main competitors next weekend, and in reality we are a bit struggling. We are struggling in terms of grip. The different tyre construction is probably not our best friend right now,” he said.
He also highlighted the lack of clarity in the current direction of Honda’s motorcycle development.
“It’s not too clear to us which direction to take, because I think we don’t have a very competitive package right now. That’s what I feel. Maybe during this race week, the team will find something.”
One of the main weaknesses of the RC213V that has not been resolved is the lack of rear tyre grip, which has an impact on traction when exiting corners. Mir felt that this problem was still the main obstacle and made Honda even more behind rivals such as Ducati and Aprilia.
“In terms of potential, I expected more. In Sepang, I said that we had to improve grip. That’s our weak point. Right now, Ducati and Aprilia are at a different level. In Sepang we might have a chance, but not here,” he said.
Mir added that Honda had made several changes, but had not touched the basic concept thoroughly.
“We are in the process of changing the motorcycle a little. We are trying various things, but not a different concept. The concept remains the same. There is evolution, not revolution. I think in terms of grip, we need a revolution right now.”
This weekend’s MotoGP Thailand will be an important test for Honda to prove whether they can improve their competitiveness in the face of the 2026 season, amid the increasing dominance of European manufacturers. (Ndf)
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